Friday, April 29, 2011

Corey!

Not much of a post, because my brain still feels like it's coming out of a bad acid trip, but how the fuck were the Rangers not expecting the squeeze in the ninth today? Tie game, one out, reasonably fast runner on third and a guy whose only redeeming major league skill is speed/bunting, and the Rangers seemed completely stunned. It just boggles the mind - isn't everyone in the park anticipating the safety squeeze there?

As far as the other news of the day - Snider down, Cooper up - I don't hate it THAT much. Nothing wrong with giving Cooper some innings at first, sliding Lind back to DH and Rivera to LF to see if the forgotten first rounder can show a little something. Just because Snider has been the Face of the Franchise since he was 20 doesn't mean he should get unlimited opportunities if someone else is knocking on the door. Snider was drafted 14th overall in his draft; Cooper was drafted 17th overall in his. Does one measly year (Feb '87 birthdate vs Snider's Feb '88) really make it inconceivable that Cooper could still develop into at least as good a player as Snider might? Yes, Snider shot up the ladder - but then so did Brandon Wood.

Not saying it's likely...but why not try it out? In the playing time battle of Corey vs Travis, it's no contest. But Cooper vs Snider? Well, it's at least debatable...

Of course, you could have both, and nail the vets to the bench. And IF Coop succeeds, maybe that's what we do see in a couple of months: Snider LF, Lind DH, Cooper 1B. But I don't have any huge problem with sending Snider down for two-three weeks while the Blue Jays braintrust tinkers with their young left-handed power-hitting toys.

2 comments:

sending Snider down was a terrible decision. just like playing E5 at 3B is a terrible move. the man handles a baseball as if it were a grenade. enough said. if rivera heats up they should try to trade him for a half-decent third baseman who can keep the hot corner warm until Lawrey is ready

I don't think anyone thinks Edwin is a 3B anymore, he's just getting his short-term at-bats there for the time being and I'm not sure why they need another stopgap in what has been more or less acknowledged a lost-cause season. I'd take Scott Wiggins for Rivera, no need to be picky.

He winds and works. Ripken swinging away and there's a bounding ball up the first base line. Olerud takes on the glove-hand side. Throw down to Fernandez...and back to Olerud covering! What a double play! And that will end the inning. No runs, one hit, no-one left on base.